The uniforms were turned in Monday, the practice pads and game prep giving way to groups for offseason workouts.
The expectations were much different within the Odessa High football program just five weeks ago.
After solid play during their nondistrict schedule, the Bronchos were riding high heading into District 2-6A competition the final week of September.
They split the first two games (a loss to Midland High followed by a victory against San Angelo Central) and then had to run a gauntlet of Permian, Midland Legacy and Abilene High, the top three teams in the district.
Still, Odessa High had a chance to help its playoff hopes with a victory against Wolfforth Frenship in its season finale.
The Tigers, however, proved too much as they took advantage of a three turnovers and ran away to a 63-41 victory Friday to end the Bronchos’ season.
Odessa High averaged 31.7 points per game, but gave up 39.5 at the same time.
While the offense improved from its 7.5 points per game average in 2020 (seven games due to COVID-19 issues), the defense regressed just a bit from its 38.7 average a season ago.
Odessa High head coach Dusty Ortiz knows both sides of the football have to improve.
“Definitely have to get better and we will,” Ortiz said. “We have the entire offseason to get bigger, stronger and faster.
“We have to get better defensively, especially in the secondary and we have to find a quarterback that is going to be able to lead us because replacing Diego (Cervantes) is going to be hard to do.”
Ortiz, who admitted to not wanting to participate in spring practices as it allowed the Bronchos to get the extra week of workouts in the summer, said that is likely going to change come April, 2022, out of necessity.
Odessa High is going to need the 18 days for find a leader heading into the summer and 7-on-7 play.
“We’ve had a few candidates,” offensive coordinator Creighton Reed said. “But we have to develop them over the next few months.
“Diego spoiled us, but he also set the bar for others to follow.”
>> RAISING THE BAR: Cervantes began his assault on the Bronchos’ record book early in the season and he never stopped, setting or tying nine different program marks, either for single game or season.
He was 198-of-310 passing for 2,562 yards and 21 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He also rushed 80 times for 479 yards and 13 scores.
The attempts, completions and yardage all are new single-season benchmarks, breaking marks set by Derrick Teegarden in 2008.
Friday against the Tigers, Cervantes was 39 of 60 for 504 yards and four touchdowns, with the attempts-completions-yards setting new single-game marks.
He accounted for 34 touchdowns (passing/rushing) this season to equal Teegarden’s 2008 mark and then broke the combined offense park (passing/rushing) with 3,035 yards.
Friday’s numbers of 522 combined yards (504 passing, 18 rushing) allowed him to set the single-game mark for combined yardage.
>> OTHER NUMBERS: In addition to Cervantes, a few other Bronchos had stellar seasons.
Sophomore wide receiver Ivan Carreon finished with single-season records in receptions (77) and yards (1,114), with seven touchdowns.
Carreon also became the first Bronchos player with more than 1,000 receiving yards in a season.
A relative unknown as the beginning of the season, he quickly made a name for himself and became a must-defend target for opposing defense coordinators.
Had he not been slowed by a cramp late in Friday’s game against Wolfforth Frenship, Carreon likely would have eclipsed the career mark of 1,128 yards set by Gabriel Rodriguez from 2007-2009.
He still has two more years.
Senior wide receiver Terrance Samuel normally would have been the focus of the double teams sent Carreon’s way. Samuel made opponents pay for single coverage, catching 50 passes for 720 yards and six scores.
The 50 receptions will put him second on single-season list behind Carreon, two more than previous record holder Rodriguez (2009).
Defensively, there may not have been a better linebacker in the district than Odessa High’s Elias Minjarez. Minjarez, a senior, finished with 109 tackles in 10 games, which was 72 more than his nearest teammate Mikahel De Leon.
>> Follow Lee Scheide on Twitter at @OALeeScheide
ODESSA HIGH PLAYER OF THE WEEK
DIEGO CERVANTES
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 190
Class: Senior
Position: QB
Last Week: Cervantes was 39-of-60 passing for 504 yards and four touchdowns in a loss to Wolfforth Frenship Friday at Ratliff Stadium.
This season: Completed 198 of 310 passes for 2,562 yards and 21 touchdowns, with nine interceptions. Rushed 80 times for 479 yards and 13 touchdowns.
